A solid-state imaging device in which a black level correction is performed on an effective pixel signal from an effective pixel section using a black level signal from an optical black (OB) section subjected to light shield is conventionally known. When assuming a difference of an addition average of the values of the black level signals from the OB section and a desired black level standard value as a correction value to apply on the effective pixel signal, an input restriction of a certain level is sometimes performed on the black level signal to reduce the influence of noise due to output abnormality and the like for every pixel.
The solid-state imaging device sometimes causes unevenness in dark current (hereinafter appropriately referred to as “dark period shading”) due to properties, and the like of the element. Countermeasures of imposing an input restriction may be taken with a noise amount added with a shading amount as a tolerable range with respect to the noise generated when the DC (Direct Current) level of the black level signal fluctuates by the dark period shading. In this case, the tolerable range is greatly enlarged by the addition of the shading amount, and hence it becomes difficult to effectively reduce the influence of noise in the black level correction.
Furthermore, the solid-state imaging device may have the OB section divided into a plurality of blocks, and the weighting of the black level correction may be differed for every block. In this case, it becomes difficult to sufficiently function the weighing of the black level correction if there is calculation error due to white defects and the like, or if there is fluctuation in the DC level due to the dark period shading.